President Report 2021

EEEAA President Report 2021

Welcoming Class of 2021

NTU School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (NTU EEE) is one of the largest schools in the world. In the 2021 QS World University Rankings by Subject, we were ranked 1st in Singapore and Asia, and 4th in the World. We also ranked 4th in 2021 Best Global Universities for EEE in US News and World Report. All 612 EEE & 85 IEM graduates of Class 2021 became the first batch of undergraduates that experienced the full impact of Covid-19 during their university days. Like all NTU EEE graduates they become naturalised as EEEAA members. 

Starting their career now, they will continue to face many uncertainties ahead, especially as companies continually adjust their business models, while navigating through the unknowns during the Endemic phase. With the vast experience among more senior alumni members across multiple industries in varying roles as high as business owners and CEOs, staying reconnected with our alma mater will make NTU EEE Alumni Community an important human capital for all members to tap on to share knowledge and work/life experiences. 

Connect with EEEAA DIGITALLY

Our Exco volunteers over the years had put in much effort in our IT enhancement projects and social media effort. It has proven useful during this Pandemic. We had organized 2 sessions of PUBG competition in 2020 and 2021 and broadcasted the event live on Facebook using Exco’s personal knowhows at almost no production cost to the association, indirectly adding value to EEEAA. In both times, we had reached more than 1000 views. Our continual reliance on social media engagement, will strengthen our online presence, making EEEAA online platform an attractive avenue for sponsors to market with us, which will in turn bring more benefit to our members. This year, we managed to get RAZER to sponsor the top 3 prizes for our PUBG event. They join all major sponsors with their logos displayed on EEEAA Photo Gallery. 

Our online efforts allow us to connect with alumni based permanently overseas, like never before. During a virtual networking session during EEEAA Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2020, an alumni based in Beijing, China reconnected with EEEAA for the first time since her graduation some 15 years ago. Many successful alumni based in other countries, like Indonesia, China and India, to name a few, also joined our direct and close conversations with more than 500 active members on EEEAA WhatsApp groups, debating ideas and sharing new learnings with one another. 

Feeling Real in the PHYSICAL World

After going through the past year with various safe distancing measures and restrictions, we brought back one of our anchor physical events, Durian Appreciation in March 2021. This event, at its 10 years anniversary, now holds the fastest signup record in EEEAA history; it was fully subscribed within an hour and we had to open another session on a separate day to accommodate the long waiting list.

Similarly, due to the overwhelming response to the EEEAA Mooncake Making workshop, via zoom, our organizing team increased the capacity to allow all 80 members to participate and interact with each other virtually, while learning something new. During the event, many members took the opportunity to bond with their family, gathering their children and spouse, and some with their parents to have a mini reunion, making mini snow skin mooncakes together. The need of EEE school mates to meet up and gather again saw one group of five Class of 2018 alumni gather at one person’s house to zoom in during the event. 

In both events, we saw participants as senior as class of 1985 to the most recent graduates of 2021. Through high take up rate in both events, it became evident the need to socialise in a physical setting is very strong. 

Transiting to HYBRID Mode…

With that in mind, our team prepared an exciting Adventure Race in Singapore Central Business District to be combined together with EEEAA AGM 2021, in hope to allow members to meet up with batch mates and reconnect via the mini team bonding event. This hybrid event also allows each small group to further bond with the larger EEE Community later when they meet up during the virtual networking session. 

However, as the covid-19 cases continue on a rise in Singapore, the Race part of the event had to be postponed indefinitely. We are still able to garner decent signup of 70 participants for the AGM + Virtual Networking. We have to thank our fellow alumni, Mr Hendri Zhang,  co-found of Elite Linguistic Network, for kindly sponsoring the event with one of their top selling products.  

As Singapore, her government and people learn to coexist with Covid-19 during the Endemic phase, EEEAA will need to continue to adjust our plans accordingly in the following term and try our best to create opportunities for our members, though in smaller groups, to connect in the physical world. Regular events like ChillOut and E3Spirit Cup are popular events we will definitely bring back when possible. 

EEEAA belongs to All NTU EEE Alumni!

The EEEAA Exco members will continue to innovate and come up with creative ways to connect with our members. With the selfless efforts of EEEAA Exco, along with strong support from our kind sponsors, especially NTU school of EEE, we are able to keep operating very lean in this financial year. With more strong monetary support from other sponsors, while staying nimble, our association can increase our event capacities and allow more members to network together. 

Finally, we must thank the active contributions from our members, especially those volunteering their time and expertise to help us keep the EEEAA platform active and vibrant. The active participation from members in sculpting and redefining the EEE Alumni Platform in the new normal, will allow us to continue our mission “To be the Platform to Connect, Engage and Serve Our Members, Creating a Lifelong & Worldwide Community of Alumni”. 

EEEAA belongs to all NTU EEE Alumni and it is through our own efforts and nurturing will this network grow and flourish. Thank you.

Cheah Wai Soon

President | EEE Alumni Association

21st- 22nd Executive Committee